Third Time is the Charm
by Kagami no Basuke
Summary: Yoshino disappeared 5 years ago and Mahiro is still trying to cope with the loss. AU.
1. Chapter 1

**Third Time is the Charm**

_Summary: Yoshino disappeared 5 years ago and Mahiro is still trying to cope with the loss. AU._

* * *

"Mahiro, Dad got reassigned to another place and we have to move."

_Bam._

Mahiro blinks away the residue of sleep from his system as he prepares to get his ass off the floor. That line still haunts his dreams even after nearly four _fucking _years and no, he still does not regret having anything to do with that _bastard _of a friend. _Bullshit_, he thinks and he gets a surprise when a delicious scent permeates the air – well, there is the sizzling of oil on pan and that alone is out of the periphery of normal. He lives alone in _a helluva _apartment and for someone else to be prepping breakfast in this early morning is definitely a cause for concern.

He cautiously tiptoes to the kitchen but fail when he trips on that gaming console on the floor and _goddamn it _he is nearly there.

"Ouch," he says as he rubs his head from the collision with the door frame. He repeats the process and forgets all about his unwanted guest, not until a familiar mop of faded brown hair pops from the adjacent room.

"You're still the same idiotic brother I know, Mahiro," Aika laughs as she beats a couple of egg whites on a porcelain bowl.

Mahiro shrugs, a non-committal response, "It's only been six months."

"And you still don't have the hang of it," she reprimands him, because the flat is nothing but commendable.

"If you came here to nag, then why don't you just leave?" Mahiro snorts out the reply but Aika does not take it as an assault to her person.

Aika turns off the stove and sets the plates. She seems to have something on her mind, but she does not speak for a while; she notices however that Mahiro _is _hungry. "Not until I've fed you."

"Well, whatever." He takes a wiener and pops it into his mouth. He purrs in satisfaction and nods at Aika's general vicinity. "Er, thanks."

Aika puts out, "Still want to kick me out?"

Mahiro contemplates and then answers with a no. "Hey, no one can turn down food."

Aika pretends hurt and adds, "Ah, what a mean brother you are."

However, there is one thing bothering Mahiro and he does not hesitate. "Say, what brings you here anyway?"

"I have found Yoshino-san," she tells him and somehow, Mahiro appears a bit happier.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I'm forever lazy, so typical updates would only be of this length. Besides, my classes are proving to be more than a handful. Anyway, yeah P:

(And Samon, Junichirou and Mahiro are of the same ages here, just to give you guys a heads up.)

* * *

**i.**

"So, you're saying that your sister is another freeloading _hobo_?"

Mahiro and his gang are hovering over the little space of the cafeteria table and after another exasperated sigh, he manages to blurt out another insult directed at Aika. Only God knows how truly pissed off he is – or, well, a certain Junichirou Hoshimura who is more than happy to listen in on the conversation.

"Surrogate," Mahiro corrects as his frown deepens. He cannot even tell whose side Junichirou is on. "And she just is."

"Isn't it a bit too early for you to be biting other people's heads off, Mahiro?" Samon offers as he attempts to not roll his eyes, but he does so anyway.

Mahiro crosses his arms and retorts, "Shut your mouth, Mr. Prim and Proper." He retaliates by smirking after the insult. Revenge is indeed sweet.

"Calm down, you two," Junichirou finally says, as he tries shrinking to avoid the conflict. "Really, don't egg Mahiro on, Samon."

"He started it," Mahiro puts out because he refuses to go down without a fight – at least, in this case, without injuring Samon's pride. "Anyway, you-"

"Whatever." It is obvious that Samon is itching for a stick of cigarette as his hands dig into his pockets. "I have my own problems anyway, pretty boy with an attitude problem."

After slamming his fists into the poor, _innocent _table, Mahiro nearly punches the lights out of Samon but the latter dodges like a _damn_ pro. "You're getting better at this."

Junichirou suddenly feels left out of the loop so he interjects. "Either that or you're getting soft, Mahiro."

"I get the feeling that you two are ganging up on me." Mahiro can go for another hit but, hey, it is the cafeteria and the students around them make it a no-go. "Anyway, Aika really is something."

Because Samon also has a _problem_ sister, he feels compelled to lend an ear – or maybe two because by the way Mahiro describes Aika, she may just as well be as big a pain in the ass as Hakaze. "Tell me about it."

Junichirou stifles a laugh because Samon sounds _concerned_. "Hallelujah."

Joining in shortly, Mahiro is on the verge of cracking up. "Amen to that."

"What?" Samon questions his motives as to why on Earth he has chosen these two as friends – acquaintances, decidedly, is his better term.

"Nothing." Clearing his throat, Junichirou explains, "I mean, seriously, you want to listen to Mahiro's rant. That's a first."

Samon has long started his peculiar routine of massaging his temples under stress. Junichirou and Mahiro's company equates to trouble, apparently. "You should know. Hakaze has gotten a boyfriend."

Junichirou can only nod at that. Whim or not, the Kusaribe clan's heir having a lover is bad news. "So I've heard."

Mahiro is swift to counter. "It's gross that having evil sisters is the one thing we have in common."

"Evil and _impulsive_," Samon adds. "Even someone _like you-_"

Mahiro takes offense in the snippy and deriding tone that Samon has. "What do you mean even someone _like me_?"

"I meant just that. Even a delinquent such as yourself does not deserve…" Samon trails off, deep in thought. "Maybe you do, after all."

Junichirou notices that Mahiro is _quite _displeased and diffuses the flicker of fire that is about to erupt, and just in the nick of time. "Typical Samon. He loves contradicting himself." He hears Mahiro snort – or is that a _tch_? – but either way, it is for their best interest that they do not attract any more on-lookers.

Causing a scene in public is the forte of both men and not a single soul can disagree.

"Both of you come from that rich family, right?" Mahiro remarks off-handedly as he slumps into the backrest of the measly plastic chair; he swings his legs, mostly because he does not like to keep them dangling – they might go numb, he fears.

Then comes another urge to insult Mahiro and his _idiocy _and _ignorance _but Samon does not bother; not that it will go through Mahiro's thick skull anyway. "I'd appreciate it if you remembered my surname, Mahiro."

Mahiro mouths the correct first syllable but from there, it goes downhill. "Ku- Ku- Kunieda."

As Samon's tolerance snap, Junichirou is fighting to steady his breath. "Way off the bat."

"I knew that a kindergartner is smarter than you but this is still disappointing," Samon tells Mahiro – and to Mahiro's dismay, Junichirou seems to agree. "Anyway, I don't see the point of hanging out with you guys any longer. I'm leaving."

"No afternoon classes? How lucky." Junichirou mimics the signature Hakaze pout and fails miserably.

Perhaps Mahiro's penchant for pranks is contagious, given that Junichirou has never pulled anything like that off – it is enough to make Samon shudder into himself. "Right. Also, I wanted to see that Takigawa boy for myself."

"The rumored boyfri-" Junichirou is about to speak but is abruptly cut off by Mahiro.

"Who?" Mahiro wants to be certain. _Takigawa _boy?

This is far too convenient even for a coincidence.

Mahiro has learned that Yoshino lives in the same district he does, but-

And boyfriend? _What the hell is that supposed to- _

This is nonsense.

"Yoshino, Takigawa Yoshino," Samon answers and Mahiro curses.


	3. Announcement

For the reasons that follow:

(1) school work

(2) muse on the run

I will not be continuing this story anymore _but _my friend Living Down Under (ff username) is currently writing up the revision of both chapters and will be writing instead of me. I trust in her abilities and I am sure she will deliver. Thank you for sticking with me until this far.

xoxo,

Ira


End file.
